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Unit 08
Academic Phrasal Verbs (YDS)
bring about, account for, rule out…
Phrasal Verbs in Academic English
Academic texts use fewer phrasal verbs than speech, but some are very frequent in research articles, news and exam passages. In YDS and YÖKDİL, they appear in sentence completion, vocabulary and translation questions — and the particle often decides the answer.
Cause & Effect
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| bring about | to cause something to happen (≈ cause) | Industrialisation brought about major social change. |
| give rise to | to cause something, often a problem (≈ cause, produce) | Poor housing can give rise to health problems. |
| stem from | to be caused by (≈ originate from) | Many conflicts stem from economic inequality. |
| account for | to explain; to form a particular amount (≈ explain, constitute) | Women account for 45% of the workforce. |
| set off (a reaction) | to cause something to start (≈ trigger) | The announcement set off a wave of protests. |
Research & Argument
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| carry out (research) | to conduct research, an experiment or a survey (≈ conduct) | The study was carried out in 12 countries. |
| set out | to present or explain in an organised way; to begin with a particular aim | The report sets out the main findings. |
| draw on | to use knowledge, experience or sources (≈ make use of) | The author draws on data from 20 countries. |
| rule out | to decide that something is not possible or suitable (≈ exclude) | Doctors have ruled out a heart problem. |
| put forward (a theory) | to propose a theory or idea (≈ propose) | Darwin put forward the theory of natural selection. |
| build on | to use earlier work or success as a base for more progress | The new study builds on earlier research. |
| single out | to choose one person or thing from a group for special attention | The report singles out three main causes. |
| bear out | to show that something is true (≈ confirm) | The results bear out our hypothesis. |
| break down (data) | to divide information into smaller parts (≈ analyse) | The data is broken down by age and gender. |
Change & Trends
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| phase out | to stop using something gradually | Many countries are phasing out coal power. |
| die out | to disappear completely (≈ become extinct) | Many local languages are dying out. |
| wipe out | to destroy completely (≈ eliminate) | The disease wiped out half the population. |
| level off | to stop rising or falling and stay at the same level (≈ stabilise) | Inflation has finally levelled off. |
| cut back (on) | to reduce spending or an amount (≈ reduce) | The government cut back on public spending. |
| catch on | to become popular | The idea never really caught on. |
| call for | to demand or require (≈ demand, require) | Experts are calling for stricter rules. |
Exam Tips (YDS / YÖKDİL)
- The particle often decides the answer: bring about (cause) vs bring up (raise a child, mention); break out (start) vs break down (stop working; analyse).
- In reading and translation questions, expect the formal equivalent: rule out ≈ exclude, account for ≈ explain / constitute, stem from ≈ originate from, bear out ≈ confirm.
- Give rise to, lead to and contribute to are followed by a noun or -ing, because to is a preposition: give rise to concern.
Annotated Examples
Subject
Verb
Auxiliary
Object
Adjective
Adverb
Preposition
Hover over any word to see its role.
subjectRising pricesverbbrought aboutobjectwidespread protests.
↳ bring about = cause.
subjectTourismverbaccounts forobject12% of the economy.
↳ account for = constitute (a proportion).
subjectThe researchersverbruled outobjectother explanations.
↳ rule out = exclude.
Common Mistakes
The war brought up many changes.
→
The war brought about many changes.
bring about = cause; bring up = raise a child / mention a topic.
This problem stems in poverty.
→
This problem stems from poverty.
stem + from.
Tourism accounts 12% of jobs.
→
Tourism accounts for 12% of jobs.
account + for.
The policy gave rise to increase unemployment.
→
The policy gave rise to higher unemployment.
give rise to + noun phrase (to is a preposition).
The doctors ruled away cancer.
→
The doctors ruled out cancer.
rule out = exclude.